Seal of the Governor
For Immediate Release: December 21, 2018
Contacts: Alenaa Yarmosky, Alena.Yarmosky@governor.virginia.gov

Governor Northam Announces Administration Appointments

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam announced additional appointments to his Administration today.

Office of the Governor

Melissa Peeler, Policy Advisor
Melissa Peeler has been appointed Policy Advisor in the Governor’s Policy Office. Prior to her appointment, she served as Virginia Government Relations Director at the American Heart Association where she managed state and local health policy portfolios. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and received her Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments

9-1-1 Services Board

  • Mary M. Blowe of Winchester, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Support Services, City of Winchester
  • R. Scott Garber of Staunton, Fire Chief, City of Staunton
  • Lee Miller* of Mechanicsville, Major, Virginia State Police
  • Seth Weise of Chantilly, Vice President of Sales for the Mid-Atlantic, Sprint
  • Kelvin Wright of Chesapeake, Chief of Police, City of Chesapeake
  • Jolena Young* of Woodlawn, 911 Coordinator, Twin County 911 Regional Commission

Board of Regents of Gunston Hall
(Regents are elected by The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America)

  • Harrison Flynn Giddens* (Mrs. Thomas L. Giddens) of Mason Neck, Virginia
  • Barbara Camp Linville* (Mrs. David Linville) of Lake Bluff, Illinois
  • Virginia Carswell Nicholson (Mrs. Justin Marshall Nicholson) of Marietta, Georgia
  • Sara Lynn Cline Postma (Mrs. Jan Hendrik Postma, Jr.) of Spartanburg, South Carolina
  • Ann Frunald Taylor Schaeffer (Mrs. Ronald Lester Schaeffer) of Arlington, Virginia
  • Rowena Boyd Van Dyke* (Mrs. Jacob Van Dyke, Jr.) of St. Louis, Missouri
  • Nancy Dempster White (Mrs. R. Douglas White) of Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Virginia Simonds White* (Mrs. Stephen Hopkins White) of Dover, Delaware

Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization

  • Becky Coleman* of Scott County, former Chief of Staff, Congressman Rick Boucher
  • Alexis I. Ehrhardt, Ed.D.* of Danville, President and CEO, Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce
  • Franklin D. ‘Frank’ Harris* of Amelia County, Member, Amelia County Board of Supervisors
  • Edward Owens* of South Boston, Mayor, South Boston
  • Cecil E. Shell* of Kenbridge, Owner and Farmer, Shell’s Farm
  • Richard L. Sutherland* of Elk Creek, Director, District Two, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors

Virginia Marine Products Board

  • Frederick Wayne Barlow Jr. of Richmond, Business Development, J&W Seafood of Va., Inc.

*denotes reappointment

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